Here’s a closer look at some of the AV news, products and projects you might have missed this week. We call it AV News to Know:
New AV Products
Key Digital Releases New HDMI Splitter with 4K to 1080p Down-Convert Option
Key Digital, a developer and manufacturer of digital video processing and video signal distribution solutions, introduced the new KD-DA1x2DC 4K 18G HDMI splitter with audio de-embed and 4K to 1080p down-convert.
KD-DA1x2DC is engineered to offer quality, performance, and reliability at a cost-effective price point and has been designed for professional audio video installations in digital signage, surveillance monitoring applications, and more.
Providing added integration options in both new and retrofit instillations, the resolution down conversion option on the KD-DA1x2DC splitter enables a single HDMI video source to be displayed on two video displays regardless of 4K or 1080p resolution support.
When enabled, the 4K to 1080p down-convert feature applies resolution conversion to each output individually based on the EDID from the connected display, therefore removing any guessing as to the display’s supported resolution on the part of the AV integrator.
KD-DA1x2DC features L/R analog and optical digital audio de-embed ports, enabling ease of integration into amplifiers, distributed audio systems, or sound bars. Audio de-embedding allows audio of the connected HDMI input to be output at the digital optical and analog 3.5mm stereo connectors.
Ultra HD/4K is supported at 4096×2160 or 3840×2160 24/25/30/60hz at 4:4:4 (signals up to 18Gbps bandwidth) and KD-DA1x2DC is fully licensed and compatible with HDCP 2.2.
KD-DA1x2DC features HDR10 and Dolby Vision® to offer more life-like images through a greater range of luminance levels. Video resolutions up to 4096x2160p are supported and deep color is supported up to UHD/4K 30Hz 4:4:4/12 bits or 60Hz 4:4:4/8 bit.
Key Digital’s proprietary Full Buffer System™ within KD-DA1x2DC manages TMDS re-clocking / signal re-generation, HDCP authentication to source and display, and EDID control handshake.
EDID management includes an internal library containing 15 EDID handshakes including 4K with HDR in addition to native EDID data copied from KD-DA1x2DC output/display 1. EDID handshaking and Forced Hot Plug Detection professional tools help overcome common HDMI handshaking and integration problems for ease of installation in any environment.
Digital audio format supported include DTS-HD Master Audio™, DTS:X®, Dolby® TrueHD, and Dolby Atmos®.
ClearOne Debuts AMX Module for Simple Deployment of Camera Control for the BMA 360 Beamforming Microphone Array Ceiling Tile
ClearOne, a provider of audio and visual communications solutions announced the immediate availability of a new camera control module for AMX Netlinx series control systems that is designed to work with the company’s BMA 360 Beamforming Microphone Array Ceiling Tile and UNITE® 200, or any other Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera that complies with the industry-standard VISCA control protocol.
The new module simplifies configuration of the BMA 360’s camera control feature and comes with an easy-to-use graphical interface that associates PTZ presets in the camera with BMA 360 Beam Reports.
When a local talker activates a given beam in the BMA 360, the control module recalls the associated PTZ preset in the camera. The module also supports returning the camera to a “home” position after a period of no voice activity.
Previously, ClearOne provided sample code and command documentation to help AMX programmers build their own custom camera control modules. While that gave AMX programmers the ultimate in flexibility, ClearOne’s customers asked for a pre-programmed solution that would cover most camera tracking applications.
The new module developed by ClearOne represents a product-quality implementation for control of up to two PTZ cameras per AMX module that is ready for immediate deployment by AV integrators.
Multiple instances of this module can be configured to control more than two cameras. This new module will save a significant amount of time and labor cost for BMA 360 camera control applications.
The new AMX module is now available as a free software download this month at www.clearone.com.
Panasonic Offers a Complete Digital Signage Solution for Public Places
Panasonic announced a new Complete Digital Signage Solution aimed at providing highly engaging, relevant content that improves customers’ communication and connection with guests.
The digital signage solution increases operational efficiency, while decreasing costs, and serves as an additional revenue generation stream. The ecosystem includes high-quality customized products, and unmatched software and services that streamline set-up, maintenance and creates flexibility in workflows like controlling content locally or remotely, while also supporting the display of advertisements to drive business.
The Complete Digital Signage Solution ecosystem includes hardware, software and services that work holistically together to provide the right-sized display – for any scenario – with the necessary accessories, installation and logistics, and warranties and maintenance.
The hardware: Panasonic’s digital signage solution can be customized to include a variety of displays, which come in all shapes and sizes and for any location indoors or outdoors. The current displays include video walls, touchscreen displays, entry-level 4K displays and professional displays, standard professional displays, large format 4K digital displays, full HD professional displays and high brightness standard professional displays.
The accessories: in addition to displays, Panasonic offer accessories like wall and ceiling mount configurations to keep displays aligned, IP Power Controllers from leading manufacturers and media players with various outputs. Depending on customers’ specific needs, product bundles for the displays and accessories are available as part of the ecosystem.
The software: to ensure the best viewing experience is provided to guests and that the hardware is easily manageable. The Content Management Software offers customers different toolsets to manage and synchronize content on multiple platforms at once, and in real-time. Additionally, the Remote Asset Management and Diagnostics helps to configure, assign actions, and maintain the network, media player and attached display configurations.
The services: based on needs, Panasonic offers support that’s scalable when it comes to design, configuration, fast and easy installation and logistics for cabling, staging, kitting and asset management. Panasonic also offers preventative maintenance through three, four or five-year warranties to ensure long-term protection of purchases for all system components.
Audio Visual Projects
Best House of Worship Project: Diversified & Passion City Church
Thanks to a longstanding partnership with Diversified, Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia, was able to establish a second permanent location in the area with new AV technology that would make the most professional production crews jealous.
The relationship between one of the largest AV providers and the church dates back several years to when Diversified was an original partner in the construction of the church’s first site in Atlanta, and Diversified has helped with several upgrades to accommodate the large events held in the space. Improvements have included loudspeaker upgrades, cinema camera upgrade to their video system and LED walls.
For the new location in Atlanta, the church worked exclusively with Diversified for all of the technology systems in the facility. The church has several experts on their production team, and they knew they needed the right partner to achieve their production goals. Diversified was trusted to support their exact vision at a very granular level, developing solutions that represent several firsts in the church production world.
The teaching pastor often preaches from either Atlanta location at a moment’s notice. Live-linked moments and even baptisms, going back and forth round-robin style between locations, are the norm, and the worship you experience online may be from a different location than where the live message originates from.
The production team adapts in both pre-production and in real time at the highest levels. The new auditorium features 180-degree seating spread between the main floor and the balcony with the furthest easy only 60 feet away from downstage center.
Read more to find out about the installation and the equipment used. Check out some of the other BEST award winners here.
People and Places
PSNI Global Alliance Adds AtlasIED as Latest Worldwide Preferred Vendor Partner
PSNI Global Alliance, the global network of technology integrators and service providers, is expanding its worldwide presence and portfolio as it welcomes AtlasIED as a preferred vendor partner.
AtlasIED, a global technologies manufacturer providing audio and security solutions for commercial, corporate, educational, healthcare, retail, transportation, hospitality, and government environments. Offering industry-leading mass notification, life safety, VoIP, background music, paging, and sound-masking systems, AtlasIED delivers more than 2,000 audio solutions with a variety of resources to help integrators sell, design, and install audio communication technologies.
Family-owned, the company operates from nine locations across the world, as well as through a well-established network of representatives and distributors. Michael Peveler, Vice President of Sales at AtlasIED, said in statement, “PSNI is widely regarded as a premier global alliance within the audiovisual Industry. As a Preferred Vendor Partner, we’re looking forward to adding value and resources to support the success of an already strong group of global integrators.”
Avnu Alliance Announces Silicon Validation Task Group
Avnu Alliance, the industry consortium driving open, standards-based deterministic networking, announced a new initiative to drive alignment on Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) interoperability in the network ecosystem.
In the Silicon Validation Task Group, silicon and IP companies including Analog Devices, Intel, Keysight Technologies, Microchip, NXP Semiconductors, Texas Instruments, and TTTech will work together to ensure that the TSN features of various profiles interoperate.
Avnu has a history of providing a framework for industry stakeholders to collaborate to advance TSN. This task group will allow competitors to work together to develop a testing ecosystem for silicon and IP products’ TSN capabilities at the component (and supporting software) level. Group members will collaborate on activities such as developing test plans, creating validation tools, and hosting plugfests.
The members of the Silicon Validation Task Group have come together in recognition of the fact that interoperability is required at the silicon level to enable specialization further up the stack. TSN applications span markets including ProAV, automotive, industrial manufacturing, and aerospace. Base interoperability at the component level facilitates device interoperability across various applications and profiles, including IEEE/IEC 60802 for industrial and IEEE 802.1BA for ProAV as well as future profiles that are in development.
The Silicon Validation Task Group’s efforts will allow silicon vendors to achieve better economies of scale for TSN products. By providing a roadmap to verify base TSN capabilities in a common way independently from profile or application, the Silicon Validation Task Group will enable silicon providers to develop products for a broad customer base.
Interoperability at the silicon level gives TSN the flexibility for technological advancements from one market to cross-pollinate to others. TSN capabilities developed for industrial applications could eventually be adopted by ProAV, for example, or real time media distribution methods created for ProAV could benefit Industry 4.0. This cycle of innovation has been key to Ethernet’s expansion beyond its original applications. As TSN becomes simply another capability of the standard network ecosystem silicon components should support capabilities coming online across industries.
The Silicon Validation Task Group is open to all Avnu members. Companies interesting in joining this collaborative effort can visit www.avnu.org to learn more about Avnu Alliance and get involved.
